You all know Agatha Christie's beloved mystery-solving protagonists.

There's Herkieu Poirot.

There's Miss Marple.

There's Lady Eileen Brent.

Wait, what?

Who now?

Well, Lady Eileen may not be as well known, but she's the star of a new Netflix series called

Seven Dials, which features Martin Freeman and Helena Bonham Carter. And while it's got all the familiar cozy, Christy mystery trappings, a matter house, snobby suspects, stiff upper lips, and lots and lots of secrets, there's something else going on here, too, something that Netflix hopes will launch, wait for it, an Agatha Christie universe. I'm Glenn Weldon, and today we're talking about Agatha Christie's Seven Dials on Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR.

Joining me today is Barry Hardiman.

She's a senior editor for NPR's investigations team.

Welcome back, Barry.

It's been too long.

It's been too long.

How are you?

Happy New Year. Happy New Year to you. And rounding off the panel is Culture Writer Margaret H. Willison's also been too long for you. Hey, Margaret. Hi, Glenn. I'm so glad to be back with this crack team of mystery analysts. I just want to tell you, ladies, I admire your pluck. I just want to get good on there. You really can do nothing else under the circumstances.

Absolutely.

In Agatha Christie's seven dials, it's 1925 in Britain at a grand old house in the country,

Lady Katerham and her daughter, Lady Eileen, that's bundle to her universally insufferable

aristocratial chums, throw a party where gauche social climbers mix with members of the British intelligence community.

Lady Cateram is played by Helena Bonham Carter, and Bundle is played by Mia McKenna Bruce.

What do we think this top secret project is that they're talking about?

Well, if I learned one thing from your dear departed father, it was this. It doesn't do to ask too many questions.

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